The Chinese Temple (CHL #770 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NPS-76000478)) is another monument to Oroville's storied past. Chinese laborers from the pioneer era established the Temple as a place of worship for followers of Chinese Popular Religion and the three major Chinese religions: Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The Chinese Temple and Garden, as it is now called, has an extensive collection of artifacts and a serene garden to enjoy.

Ishi, Oroville's most famous resident, was the last of the Yahi Indians and is considered the last "Stone Age" Indian to come out of the wilderness and into western civilization. When he appeared in Oroville around 1911, he was immediately thrust into the national spotlight. The Visitor's Center at Lake Oroville has a thorough exhibit and documentary film on Ishi and his life in society.

Archaeological finds place the northwestern border for the prehistoric Martis people in the Oroville area.

In the 1970s the Movie "The Klansman", starring (among others) O.J. Simpson, was filmed in Oroville. The story took place in rural Mississippi, and at the time Oroville might have looked a bit like the old South.

The geology of the Oroville area is fascinating. Oroville sits on the eastern rim of the Great Valley, defined today by the floodplains of the Sacramento River and its tributaries. Around Oroville these sediments are dominated by thick fans of Feather River sediments, but just east of this there is a thin, N-S band of late Cretaceous sediments. These sit on top of the Sierran basement, which beneath eastern Oroville comprise greenschist-facies metavolcanic rocks of Jurassic age, giving way to granites of the Sierra batholith to the east. These are manifestations of a vigorous island arc sequence, built out over an east-dipping subduction zone of mid- to late Mesozoic age. The gold veins lace this ancient arc, remobilized by Mesozoic shearing and intrusions of igneous rock. The crystalline foothills are locally overlain by a Cenozoic sequence of Eocene clean beach sands overlain by Neogene volcanics, including the Diamond Head-like profile of Table Mountain.

Demographics

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.3 square miles (31.8 km²), of which, 12.2 square miles (31.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.16%) is water.

There were 4,881 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,911, and the median income for a family was $27,666. Males had a median income of $28,587 versus $21,916 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,345. About 16.2% of families and 23.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.3% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

Points of Interest

The Oroville Dam, perhaps Oroville's most famous site, is one of the 20 largest dams in the world, the largest earth filled dam in the US, as well as the tallest dam in the US. This dam is 770 feet (235 m) tall and 6920 feet (2109 m) long, and it impounds Lake Oroville, which has a capacity of 3,500,000 acre feet (4.3 km³) of water, making it the second largest reservoir in California. This is one of the most important parts of the California State Water Project (see also the Central Valley Project, a Federal undertaking). Both systems move water from water-rich Northern California to water-poor Southern California. This facility is operated by the California Department of Water Resources which is undergoing contract renewal with the City of Oroville and Butte County. The state has not paid any taxes on this facility nor developed the lake for recreation as originally promised which have been a bone of contention with the local government and residents.

The Mother Orange Tree, located in Oroville, California, is the oldest of all Northern California orange trees.

This Is Oroville, a novelty song recorded and released as a 45 rpm single in 1987 by local teacher Steve Herman, is generally considered to be among the more popular California 'city songs.'

The fish hatchery located on Table Mtn Blvd just at the river. Tours for schools and individuals available.

Riverbend Park on Montgomery street right off Hwy 70. Boat access to the river as well as fishing, disc golf, running and walking trails, river-beach, and water fountains to play in on hot days.

Bedrock Park-swimming and fishing in the Feather River. Pic nic areas. Located on the Feather River at the North end of Feather River Blvd.

Brad Freeman Bike Trail- 41 mile bike trail running along the Feather River up to the Dam back down throught he city then out to the forebay and afterbay.

The State of California, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development defines Oroville Hospital as a General Acute Care Hospital in Oroville with a Level III Trauma Center and Basic emergency care as of 08/22/2006. The facility is located near (NAD83) latitude/longitude of 39.5048594605 degrees N, -121.542808921 degrees W.

In recent days, as Chico has grown as a regional commercial giant, more people have been drawn to Oroville for close shopping, and lower property prices. It has been speculated that Oroville has undergone more construction of homes in the last four years than it has in the last 30 before it. A possible reason for this could be that the skyrocketing of property values in the San Francisco Bay Area has caused migration of new families. Oroville's commercially abandoned downtown area has been quickly filling up with local businesses, as well as larger chains, such as a Big 5 athletic supplies and an Applebees restaurant.

Education

The Oroville Union High School District includes all of the greater Oroville area, including some neighborhoods that are not within the city limits. The District includes two traditional high schools, Las Plumas High School and Oroville High School, as well as Challenge-Charter High School, which is an alternative education school, and Prospect High School, which functions as a continuation school. The city also has an Adult School, Oroville Adult School.

The Oroville Elementary School District includes five primary schools and two middle schools, Central Junior High School and the recently-opened Ishi Hills.

There are also many small rural school districts in the surrounding area.

Higher educational opportunities are found at Butte Community College, just north of town, and at nearby California State University, Chico.

Higher Education

Media

Oroville is home to KRBS-LP, a low powercommunity radio station owned and operated by the Bird Street Media Project. The station was built by numerous volunteers from Oroville and around the region in April 2002 at the second Prometheus Radio Project barnraising. KRBS broadcasts music, news, and public affairs to listeners at 107.1FM.

Superfund sites

Oroville has three designated superfund cleanup sites, two of which have been cleaned up and delisted: a Koppers Co. wood treatment plant, a Louisiana Pacific sawmill, and the Western Pacific railyard.